Were there any Bhikkhunis in the first Buddhist council?

[Gabriel]

@Polarbear

Where does the text say anything about choosing the 500 foremost arahants? Any 500 arahants should do as they are all equally fully awakened.

The purpose of the meeting was in my understanding not to congratulate each other for one’s awakening, and as the texts repeatedly told us certain monastics had certain talents - Ananda for memorizing, Moggalana for meditation and supernatural powers etc. So regarding their talents - if we follow the texts - arahants are not the same.

Come, let us, your reverences, chant dhamma and discipline before what is not dhamma shines out and dhamma is withheld, before what is not discipline shines out and discipline is withheld, before those who speak what is not-dhamma become strong and those who speak dhamma become feeble, before those who speak what is not discipline become strong and those who speak discipline become feeble. Kd 21.1.1

Ānanda, although he is still a learner … has mastered much dhamma and discipline under the Lord… Let the elder select the venerable Ānanda as well. Kd 21.1.2

I don’t understand how there can be doubt that the purpose of the council was to consolidate and agree on dhamma-vinaya? Am I missing something in the text? His memorizing talent was the only reason Ananda was chosen even though he was no arahant. If all arahants are the same why bother and bring in Ananda?

@Polarbear

The foremost qualification is an addition to your original logic.

Later in Kd 21.1.7 Upali is explicitly mentioned as the one who is questioned on the Vinaya - the same Upali who in AN 1.228 mentioned as “the foremost among the upholders of the discipline is Upāli” - exactly the same wording as in AN 1.238 with sister Upacara.

Again, I don’t understand how there can be doubt that the best for the job was asked, it’s right there in the text.

@Polarbear

As for possible reasons for there not being bhikkhunis, perhaps there travel was already restricted by the vinaya…

Like you I haven’t been there, who knows if it was even remotely as in the text. But the text doesn’t mention any restriction for anyone, it’s just silent about it. It is not silent about the foremost monk in Vinaya questioned about the Vinaya.

@Polarbear

it was inefficient to find a means of escorting them to the meeting spot.

The plan for the council was done in Kusinara (Kd 21.1.1) which is about 300 km away from Rajagaha where it took place eventually. It doesn’t look like travel and efficiency was a big issue. This was not a plan executed over night.